Control apparatus for book hopper

ABSTRACT

Magazines are delivered to a hopper and are successively fed from the hopper onto a conveyor by an oscillating shuttle and a pair of driven pinch rolls. The shuttle is operated in timed relation with the conveyor through a clutch controlled by a pneumatic valve including a pistonlike valve member. A paddle senses the stack height of the magazine within the hopper and actuates the valve member. Air is continuously exhausted from the valve, and the flow rate of the exhausting air is adjustable to vary the stack height of the magazines within the hopper.



1. Improved apparatus for successively feeding booklike articles from ahopper adapted to receive the articles in a stacked manner, saidapparatus comprising a shuttle member positioned adjacent the bottom ofthe hopper for reciprocating movement, means for reciprocating saidshuttle member and including a clutch, air-actuated means for operatingsaid clutch, a sensing member positioned adjacent saId hopper, meanssupporting said sensing member for movement in response to apredetermined stack height of articles within said hopper, an aircontrol valve including a body defining a valve chamber, a valve memberdisposed for movement within said chamber, means for moving said valvemember in response to movement of said sensing member, means fordirecting an air supply to said valve chamber, and means connecting saidvalve body to said air-actuated means for said clutch to effectoperation of said shuttle member in response to a predetermined stackheight of articles within said hopper.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim1 wherein said control valve includes means defining a passage forcontinuously exhausting air from said chamber, and means for varying theflow of air through said passage to control the back pressure on saidvalve member for changing the stack height of articles required withinsaid hopper to effect actuation of said valve by said sensing member. 3.Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve member includes aportion projecting from said body and engaging said sensing member toprovide said means for moving said valve member.
 4. Apparatus as definedin claim 1 wherein said valve chamber and said valve member arecylindrical, means defining axially spaced circumferential grooveswithin said valve member, said directing means comprise axially spacedpassages extending from said valve chamber, and the spacing between saidpassages being different from the axial spacing between said grooves. 5.Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said valve body defines anexhaust passage for said valve chamber, and adjustable valve means forvarying the flow of air through said exhaust passage.